Starry, Starry Night
by cloverhand
Summary: Sam goes stargazing to escape from the tense and stressed out mansion. Rahne comes and joins him. They relax and talk about the past and the present. Rahm.


I know I haven't posted since June, I believe, but I'm back. I've been uber busy, with school and soccer and tons of other stuff. But now, I'm forbidden to play soccer, or anything more strenuous than walking, because I damaged both ligaments in my right ankle, and I finally have time to post. This story isn't great, it's more of an 'i'm still here' sort of deal, but it's Rahne and Sam and Rahm, so I hope it's enough. I have better stuff in the works. Please read and review. Reviews are greatly appreciated!

Also, I'm looking for a Beta reader, if anyone's interested. Just someone who can read potential stories or drafts and give me some feedback, so I can work with good ideas and scrap bad ones. PM me if you're interested. I'm happy to do the same for anyone who's looking for a Beta, just let me know. Thanks!

Disclaimer: If you recognize it, I don't own it. Simple as that.

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_"Starry, starry night. Paint your palette blue and grey. Look out on a summer's day, with eyes that know the darkness in my soul." -Don McLean_

Sam stared up at the stars overhead, in the great, open sky. There were thousands here, away from the rest of Bayville. Out of the forest and closer to town, the city lights obscured all but the brightest stars. But out here, the sky was painted with the little specks of light. Sam liked it here, in his own quiet corner of the Institute grounds. Out here, in the woods at the back of the grounds, in the places nobody ever bothered to explore, he was alone, with just the stars for company. He was far away from everyone else, and that was all he really wanted right now. To be removed from all of the worry and stress and angst covering the mansion in an almost tangible cloud.

Sam lay on the ground in a clearing, near the back of the Institute's property. He was surrounded by trees and underbrush on all sides, but here in the center of the clearing, there was just grass and a few wildflowers. It was late, the sun hadn't gone down until nearly 9 and the stars were still appearing. It was quiet too, which was nice. The only sounds he could hear were the waves crashing rhythmically on the beach below the cliffs near the clearing and the crickets chirping, long after the birds had stopped.

Sam sighed quietly. The peace and quiet was a nice change from all the hustle and bustle of the Institute. Everything seemed so crazy these days. The X-Men were spread far too thin, dealing with the Brotherhood, trying to track down Magneto and his remaining Acolytes, finding new recruits, and dealing with the FOH and their anti-mutant propaganda. These days, all he really wanted was to just step back and take a break, and finally, he could. He put his arms behind his head and began to search the stars overhead for familiar constellations.

A minute of two later, he heard a rustle in the tree line and immediately jumped to his feet, ready for anything.

"Relax, you daftie! It's just me," Rahne exclaimed, stepping out into the open clearing. Sam relaxed and dropped back down to the ground. Rahne came and lay down right next to him. "So, boyo, what brings ye out here?"

"Stargazin'. Before Ah came to Xavier's, Ah used to go stargazin' all the time with my younger siblings. Back in Cumberland, there were no big cities for miles, so we could see millions of stars. We went out stargazin' all the time in the summer, when the sky was clear." Sam's voice quickly became nostalgic and he got a dreamy look in his eyes as he trailed off.

"Aye. Back in Scotland there are lots of stars as well, especially on Muir Island. 'Tis beautiful out there."

Hearing his girlfriend's voice snapped Sam back to reality. He turned to look at her, rolling over onto his side and propping his head up on his fist. "Not as beautiful as you, Ah'm sure," he grinned at her.

Rahne blushed brighter red than her hair. Sam grinned at her reaction and she stuck her tongue out at him. Sam leaned in and kissed her on the nose. He quickly pulled away, still grinning at her.

"Ah mean it, too! Ah think that you're the prettiest girl in the whole mansion, Rahne!"

"Thanks," Rahne murmured, ducking her head to hide her blush that was staining her face the color of fire trucks. "Ye're far too nice." She paused, and straightened up, to look Sam in the eyes. "But for the record, I think that ye're the most handsome guy in the mansion."

Now it was Sam's turn to blush. He opened his mouth to say something, but Rahne beat him to it. "Will ye just shut up and kiss me already?"

"As ya wish," Sam whispered, before bending forward and kissing her. (1) He wrapped an arm around her waist, while propping his other arm against the ground to support himself. Rahne smiled into the kiss. She had to be the luckiest girl in the mansion. Unknown to her, Sam was thinking almost the exact same thing. Fairly soon, however, they ran out of breath and separated, both of them flushed and short of breath. Rahne flipped over onto her back on top of Sam, and she laid her head down on his chest.

"Ye make a mighty fine pillow, Sammy-boy," Rahne commented, nuzzling her head into Sam's chest.

"Thanks, Ah think," Sam murmured, as he absently rubbed Rahne's back. She sighed happily and Sam smiled to himself, just glad to be with her.

"So how did ya find me out here?" asked Sam. "Ah didn't think anyone else knew about this place."

"Hmmm…good question. How did the girl who turns into a wolf find you in the middle of a forest?" Rahne answered, rolling her eyes. "I tracked your scent. You didn't exactly cover your tracks. Besides, I was bored. Tracking you was something to do. Plus, ye normally keep me interested, so I figured I'd come and find ye, in all of ye're well hidden glory."

"Am Ah keepin' ya from gettin' bored now?" Sam questioned with a playful grin.

"Don't be silly! Of course ye are! I'm never bored around ye!" Rahne exclaimed and reached up to tweak Sam's nose.

"Well, Ah'm glad to hear that," he replied, leaning down to plant a kiss on Rahne's forehead.

For a while they lay on the grass in companionable silence as they looked up at the stars. Both of them were lost in memories of happier times, back when life was simple and they didn't risk their lives on a weekly basis. When they were just like any other teenagers, not hated for something they couldn't control. When war was far away, in Iraq or Afghanistan, instead of in their own backyard. Before they had been forced to grow up, in order to fight a war they didn't ask for and shouldn't have to fight. Back when they were innocent and young, and the world was black and white, without all these shades of grey. It seemed like a lifetime ago to both of them, almost like someone else's life. Sam missed his old life, sure, but as he looked down at the girl in his arms, he realized that he wouldn't trade his new life for anything. If he had never been a mutant, if he had never become an X-Man, his life would be easier, sure, but he never would have met Rahne.

"Penny for ye're thoughts?" Rahne asked quietly after a few minutes had passed.

"Hmm?" was Sam's distracted reply.

"What're ye thinking about, boyo?"

"Oh, not too much. Just stuff…"

"Like?" Rahne prodded.

"Life and all that kind of stuff, Ah guess. Like, how things were before Ah came here, and how they're different now." Sam paused, and stared up at the stars, like he was hoping to find the answers written in the constellations to the questions he didn't know how to ask. "Things are better now, if ya ask me. Don't get me wrong, Ah miss my old life and my family, but there are things now that Ah'm an X-Man that Ah wouldn't give up for anything, like savin' people and makin' a difference in the world, and all my friends, and, well, you." Near the end of his response, Sam blushed bright red and his voice dropped abruptly, so that Rahne had to strain to hear the end of his sentence.

Rahne smiled, hearing that, and picked up her head to kiss Sam again. "I know exactly what ye mean," she told him when she pulled away from him. "When I had to go back to Scotland, I hated it. It was almost like before I had left, and it was nice not to be hated, but I missed everything about being an X-Man, and I especially missed ye." She smiled at Sam, and he grinned back, before he leaned down to kiss her again.

When they broke apart, Rahne rolled off of Sam and lay in the grass next to him. Rahne reached out for his hand and wove her fingers through his. Sam squeezed her hand and pulled her close to him. They just lay there, in comfortable silence again, and appreciated the peace and quiet provided by the absence of the other students.

Sam closed his eyes after a while, and just lay there with his hand in Rahne's and was completely content. Eventually, he sat up and turned to look at her. Rahne's eyes were closed and she looked completely peaceful.

"Rahne?" he quietly called, unsure if she was still awake.

"Hmm?" she replied somewhat sleepily, opening her eyes and sitting up in order to look Sam in the eye.

"Oh, Ah was just checkin' if ya were still awake."

"I am now," Rahne chuckled.

"Good." Sam cupped her cheek in his hand, before leaning in to press a soft kiss to her lips. He took a deep breath and looked into her eyes. "Ah love ya."

Rahne blinked, unsure if she had heard him right. _'I love you,'_ echoed in her head, like a song stuck on repeat. A slow grin made its way onto her face. _He loves me. He really loves me._

"Ye love me?" Rahne repeated slowly, unsure, but hopeful, that she had heard him right. Sam nodded, doubtful that he'd be able to say it again, especially since she hadn't really responded in a meaningful way. "I love ye, too, Sam," she replied softly, but fiercely, before she leaned over and kissed him, putting all the emotion she didn't think she could convey verbally into the kiss.

Sam sighed in relief. He was worried when she didn't respond that Rahne wasn't sure how she felt about him, or worse, that she didn't love him back. But now, his worries put to rest, he was free to relax with the girl he loved, out under the open, starry sky.

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Notes

1) From the Princess Bride, which I've probably seen far too many times. But still, "As you wish," is always sweet.

That was probably cheesy, and not remarkably original, but it is what it is. I hope you enjoyed it, but whether you did or not, it would be awesome if you could leave me a review telling me what you thought about it. Thanks!


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